


It can be better

by TRINITY_Stngrd



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Hurt Stiles, Not a romance fic, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-24
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-10-15 11:36:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17527994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TRINITY_Stngrd/pseuds/TRINITY_Stngrd
Summary: The pack meets with an invading pack who hopes to take over beacon hills in order to talk them out of it. When that goes south, a fight ensues and Stiles ends up hurt.





	It can be better

**Author's Note:**

> Please enjoy and leave a comment with any comments, suggestions, or criticisms!

The five wolves stood in the open clearing behind there emissary as the opposing pack approached. The others were within earshot, each prepared to jump into the fray at the first sign of trouble. Stiles kept his breaths even as he watched the foreign pack approach. It was a common territorial dispute. Nothing he couldn’t handle. Failing that, he had two alphas and three betas directly behind him on top of the daggers he kept in his boots.

“You must be Alpha Trent,” Stiles smiled, extending his hand to the tall, burly man who led the pack. When the man just glared, Stiles retracted his hand and continued, “I understand you’re between emissaries right now, but I hope you don’t mind if I speak on behalf of the Hale-McCall pack.”

“As far as I’m aware, there’s nothing to talk about. You have five wolves. I have thirty,” Stiles kept a small smirk on his face as he took in the news and could only hope the others remained as stone faced as he could.

“Yet you only have ten with you,” Stiles replied.

“And twenty surrounding you. I suggest you concede the Hale Territory and leave while you still have your lives.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Derek growled, taking a small step forward, fur already covering his forearms, half prepared to enter a full shift. Howls began to echo around the preserve as the invading pack slowly entered the clearing. 

“Was it too much to ask that the wolves be civil?” Stiles groaned, backing up behind the line of wolves. Scott shot him an apologetic smile. The human just rolled his eyes and grabbed his daggers, flipping them a few times to show he knew how to use them.

Isaac, Liam, and Jackson closed ranks around the human to give him some added protection until the others could arrive and even out the fight. Isaac pressed a clawed hand against the small of Stiles back to push him forward closer to Scott and Derek.

“Last chance,” Scott snarled out, already in his beta shift. With Derek as head alpha, everyone had accomplished a full shift already, but the situation wasn’t dire enough to call for it yet.

“We’re going to kill you first, true alpha. The rest, however, we’ll leave alive to watch the human get torn apart. Then, we’ll kill everyone in this town and then you. Beacon Hills will belong to my pack.”

“Can’t say we didn’t warn him, Jackson smirked, claws beginning to drip venom while Liam snarled and snapped at the approaching betas. It was a lot, Stiles admitted to himself. And when they started charging, it seemed almost too much. Apparently, the situation was dire enough to warrant full shifts from everyone but Jackson who couldn’t utilize the kanima venom when in wolf form.

When the Hale-McCall pack burst through the woods, arrows and bullets piercing the air, however, the fight calmed down some. Not enough, though. Stiles was fighting beside Isaac and Liam against four brutish Betas. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Liam go down hard and rushed to his side, trusting Isaac to protect the two of them until the others could come help. It was Derek who bounded over his injured beta and emissary to tear into the large betas. Isaac shifted back to human form, blushing as Stiles eyed him.

“Nothing I haven’t seen before, Lahey,” Stiles smirked as Isaac dropped down and started taking Liam’s pain while Stiles administered first aid. It was bad. Liam was bleeding heavily and barely moving.

“Yeah, well, considering you’ve slept with everyone in the pack, that’s not saying much,” Isaac snarked, but Stiles could see the pain in his eyes. Too much pain for Liam’s injuries. Something was wrong. That’s when the black ooze started pouring from the wounds along with the red.

“There claws are coated with something!” Stiles shouted to the pack. They were lucky to not have any other gravely wounded yet. Stiles pulled from his belt a small pouch of mountain ash and pulled open the drawstring. He batted Issaac’s hand away as he closed his eyes and began to manipulate the ash. He sent it into the wound, fishing out whatever toxins were in the blood.

“DON’T TOUCH HIM!” Stiles heard a roar and extracted the ash. He managed to open his eyes a moment before Isaac was tossed back and looked up to see Theo practically foaming at the mouth, feral from the sight of his injured mate. Stiles took a deep breath and tried to back away, but Theo only scented magic and an injured mate. He attacked. Stiles tried to fend him off with flowing ash, but the wolf was insane, swiping furiously at the human. A pained roar broke through Stiles concentration as Erica was tossed by the Alpha. Stiles had a brief moment of panic as he dropped his guard before a hand clawed through his shirt and down his chest before he was lifted from the ground and thrown hard across the field into a tree. A sickening crack was heard around the field, halting a couple of the fights. Jackson was the first to react, rushing to his fallen friend with a speed that would surprise anyone in the pack. Isaac quickly followed. The two had been tasked with his protection, and felt the full weight of guilt at the sight of his crumpled form.

A moment later, a wolf with glowing red eyes was upon them. Only three enemy wolves remained, and they were quickly silenced. Theo was howling over Liam’s body which was now healing thanks to Stiles magic.

“We need to get him to a hospital,” Derek snarled, lifting the prone boy from where he fell. He was surprised at how calm he was. Stiles was his anchor. Most of the original pack’s anchor, actually. And yet, he was calm. He was sure Stiles would know some complicated reason for why that might be, but at the moment, he didn’t care. He waited for the first person to clothe himself (Scott) and handed him off so the other alpha could run him to his mother.  
…  
The hospital waiting room was packed with the whole pack, including Theo who was sitting there, sobbing into his hands as Liam tried to comfort him. Stiles mates all paced, trying hard not to snarl at Theo. Melissa, was comforting the sheriff while everyone else just sat in silence. The nurse had had a breakdown after seeing Stiles on the operating table, but after seeing the mess John had become, she quickly calmed herself, realizing swiftly no one else would be able to help him. Even Peter had a vacant stare and his knuckles were white from how hard he was holding onto Chris. Kira was whispering soft nothings into Malia’s ear whose eyes were permanently electric blue. The fox didn’t know how to help her girlfriend. Erica and Boyd were curled up in a coroner, the blond sobbing into her boyfriend’s chest. Allison seemed the only calm one, but she was busy trying to make sure Jackson, Derek, Scott, and Isaac didn’t kill someone trying to get to their injured mate.

Melissa looked at the odd strawberry blond in the coroner next to the twins and Danny. She seemed to be the center of attention for most of the pack, each shooting her sparing glances. Even the Sherriff would occasionally look up at her. Everyone waiting for a scream they hoped never came. Lydia could feel it, too. She could feel Stiles death lingering around her throat, just waiting to settle. 

“Mie—mech…?” Derek shot forward to the doctor just a bit quicker than John. 

“Call him Stiles; I’m his husband,” Something the other mates were a bit miffed over agreeing to. John had wanted Stiles to be legally married to one of his mates in case of an emergency. The others had reluctantly agreed that out of all of them, the head alpha was the most logical choice, though Jackson’s income gave Derek a run for his money.

“Right, well… perhaps we should talk outside?” the doctor eyed the room of wolves, perfectly aware that glowing eyes were usually a bad sign in beacon hills.

“Here is fine. I’m Derek Hale,” the doctor nodded. His shoulders lost a bit of tension at hearing the name Hale. In Beacon that was as good as being the Sheriff, which John would vehemently disagree to.

“Right, well. You all may want to sit down,” Everyone immediately spins to look at Lydia who just shakes her head with wide eyes. The wolves obey the doctor, each taking a seat. Melissa has to pull John into his. “Stiles suffered a massive injury to his spinal cord. One, under normal circumstances, he shouldn’t have been able to survive, but I assume the supernatural helped?”

“Being the mate of wolves probably helped,” Derek nodded.

“Right, wolves. Sorry, um… right, we were able to repair a lot of the damage, but… with the claw marks on his torso, we were not fast enough to stop some of the injuries from becoming more permanent.”

“What does that mean?” Isaac growled softly but stopped as soon as Jackson and Scott each took one of his hands.

“Unfortunately, the damage to his spine was extensive. While most of the damage was repaired, some were… beyond treatment. His digestive and reproductive systems both work fine though there may be some issues such as trouble urinating or constipation, but for the most part, they are perfectly normal. His legs however… we’re afraid that Stiles is paralyzed,” the doctor seems to choke as Theo howls in horror, but the others glare for him to continue. “It will not be totally permanent, but I don’t want you to get your hopes up. He’ll never walk again, that much we know for sure, but he may be able to move his toes, maybe feel pain for brief moments. I want you all to understand something, though. As hard as this adjustment will be for you all and your…pack, this will be infinitely harder for him. He’s losing two limbs, so you all must temper your grief. Look beyond yourselves and show him a positive attitude. Do not gripe over having to help him. Do not cry or… howl in his presence. If you believe he’ll get better, and you show him that, he will. Please be mindful. He won’t be awake for another few hours, but you can see him now. Two at a time.”

And with that, the doctor turned on heel and left. The pack decided the Scott and John should go in first, but John whispered his dissent, “If he wakes up… I’m not going to be as positive as the doctor said we should be. I… I need a few minutes.”

“John…” Melissa started.

“Just a few, Mel,” John whispered. She just nodded and told Lydia to go in John’s stead. The boys began to argue but Melissa just snapped that Stiles would appreciate his best friend being one of the first to visit him. She could tell Jackson wanted to argue but thought better of it after seeing Lydia’s nearly broken expression.

Scott grabbed Lydia’s hand and led her to the room Stiles was supposed to be in. Scott almost broke down at the sight of him but knew being near his mate might cause him to wake up. He looked so small like that, broken with a tube coming out of his mouth.

“He hates hospitals,” Lydia whispered as they neared the bed.

“There’s no pain,” was Scott’s answer.

Lydia looked at him like he was a moron. When Scott’s eyes showed only confusion, she rolled her eyes and pointed to the IV, “Morphine, dumbass.”

Scott snickered, “You sound just like him.”

He was right, Lydia frowned. That was exactly something Stiles would say. “I’ve been hanging out with him too much.”

They gave themselves five minutes with his sleeping form. He looked peaceful. It was easy to forget the hardships that were coming. Too soon, their time was up, and they were replaced by Isaac and Jackson. The two betas were looking at their broken mate before looking up at each other and giving each a small smile.

“The three of us have come a long way,” Jackson smiled. He held Stiles hand loosely in his own. Isaac admired the love in his friend’s eye as he stared at his mate. “I used to hate him so much. Lydia thinks I just wasn’t secure enough to admit I had a crush.”

“If it makes you feel better, he hated you too,” Isaac snarked.

“Is it weird that it does?” Jackson asked. Isaac just shook his head softly. “I know I’ve already said it, but I’m sorry I never helped with your dad.”

“I think Sti was mad at you for that longer than I was,” Isaac laughed.

“You might be right about that. Even before Scott was bitten and Derek came back, he defended you from me.”

“He did?” Jackson just nodded. He didn’t know if it was for Isaac or if it was just to piss off Jackson, so it wasn’t worth expanding. They both waited a beat before Isaac spoke. “It was me, by the way.”

Jackson looked at the beta expectantly. “I took his virginity. I know we’ve all been debating it for a while, but it was me.”

“When?” Jackson asked. He wasn’t mad about it, like he thought he’d be. He’d figured it was Scott or maybe Derek, but Isaac hadn’t crossed his mind really.

“Little before the Nogitsune,” Isaac shrugged. “He was making sure I’d pass history, and he seemed kind of tense, so he asked if he was okay and he snapped. He was so… mad.”

“And you had sex?” Jackson asked. “Figures his first time would be angry.”

“It wasn’t like that. He was mad at Scott and Derek and the Alphas. Erica was still being healed by Deaton, and we weren’t sure if she’d survive. I think it was easier to be mad than scared, so when I comforted him, something just clicked. It was… awkward.”

“Your first time too?”

“God, no. But it was Stiles’s, and I felt a lot of pressure to be good for him,” Isaac frowned, gently cradling his mates unmoving face. “He knew what he was doing, though. I think he fell down a google hole beforehand.”

“He would, wouldn’t he,” Jackson grinned. “We should let Derek see him. Maybe John is ready?”

The Sheriff was not ready at all. Instead, Derek looked around the room. Boyd and Erica would want to go together, as would Chris and peter. Allison was an option, but instead, his eyes lingered on Theo. He felt his eyes flare crimson, but he could practically hear Stiles snarking in his head about it not being Theo’s fault. Derek heaved a sigh and approached the Chimaera and his mate. Liam tensed, but Derek just gave him a small, sad smile. The alpha just held out a hand out to his packmate who frowned at him before guilt riddled his face.

“Stiles would want to see you,” Theo followed his alpha in disbelief. They both settled in chairs on either side of the bed. Derek held his mate and husband’s hand and tried to drain the pain. Theo just glanced at the IV. Morphine. Right.

“Bet Scott did the same thing,” Theo whispered, looking everywhere but at his packmate.

“It’s not your fault, Theo. Your mate was hurt in a huge battle,” Derek sighed.

“So was yours,” Theo muttered.

“Yes. But Stiles doesn’t have IED, and as snarky and hyper as he is, his emotions are steady. He’s the grounder whereas you ground Liam,” Derek replied. They sat in silence for a few minutes before Theo spoke again.

“Doesn’t he hate me? He never wants me around.”

“He just loves Liam. He’s testing you,” Derek answered. “He’s actually really impressed you’ve held your own against him when he argues. I’m impressed too. I think we’re lucky you and peter were enemies at different times.”

“Theo?” Melissa popped her head in the door. “The Sheriff… he’s ready.”

Rather than stay, though, Derek stood, kissed his mate’s forehead and followed the Chimaera out the door. At Melissa’s questioning look, he whispered to her, “He’s always thought of you as a second mother.”

Melissa nodded with tears in her eyes and led the sheriff into the room. Back in the waiting room, Scott was pouting almost aggressively. Derek asked him what was wrong, and he just shot Isaac a fierce glare. Derek raised a brow, and Jackson explained how he found out Isaac was the one who took Stiles virginity. For a moment, all Derek could do was blink and absorb the information before he started laughing. Everyone looked at him as if he’d gone insane.

“We’re in the hospital for our mate,” Derek laughed, doubling over, “And your pouting… over who got him first.”

No one moved as they witnessed their normally brooding alpha wipe tears from his eyes. The ridiculousness of it all seemed to resonate with Scott first, who followed his packmate with a chuckle first and then a laugh. In a few moments, the waiting room was full of laughs as they all questioned the true alpha’s priorities. It wasn’t until the doctor came in and told them that Stiles was waking up that they all sobered up.

Derek was the only one allowed in at first along with Melissa. John had left as soon as the boy began to wake, sending Peter in his place. It was a wise decision as the older wolf was easily able to school his features even better than Derek as Stiles woke in a panic, thrashing around. Peter was quick to hold him down as Derek spoke softly to him, telling him that he was alright.

“Hello, Stiles, I’m Dr. Michaels,” the doctor smiled down. “Right now there’s a tube in your throat to help you breathe. Squeeze my hand twice if you want us to remove it.”

In true stiles fashion, he just glared and ground the doctor’s knuckles together. The doctor just chuckled, “Melissa?”

Together, they removed Stiles tube and lifted his chair to hand him a cup of water, warning him to take small sips. “How are you feeling, are you in pain?”

“Uh… no? Should I be?” the doctor ran down the list of Stiles injuries which was far more extensive than he had told the pack. Peter flinched when he began to talk about Stiles legs. Surprisingly it was the older wolf that Stiles reached out for. Ever since a falling out with the Sheriff over the polyamorous nature of his relationships, Peter had stepped up to be there for Stiles to talk to about his mates and love life. The only reason he hadn’t started calling Peter dad was out of obligation to John, honestly.

“This won’t change anything,” Peter whispers after the doctor had left with Melissa to talk outside. Probably to explain some changes.

“You know before Der killed him, Deucalion called me ‘the boy who runs with wolves,’” Stiles said. “I can’t run with you anymore.”

“Your more than just the boy who runs with wolves, Little Red,” Peter smiled down at him. “You’re our emissary, and our alphas’ mate. You will always be essential to this pack.”

“Ran.” Derek raised his brows in question. “I’m the boy who ran with wolves.”

“Love,” Derek smiled. “You run with us even when you aren’t there. You’ll always be a moronic human who stupidly puts his life on the line by being with us. You run with wolves. You did when Deucalion said it. You do now.”

“It’s different.” Stiles mumbled.

“And it always will be,” Peter said. Derek glared at him, but he just glared back. “Everything is going to change, Little Red. But if you let it, it might be even better.”

“Hey, Oracle,” Erica popped her head in, followed closely by Boyd.

“Oracle? Really?” Stiles snickered softly before wincing.

“The super genius who everyone in the world owes fifty favors to? Uh, yeah really. How dare you.”  
“Paralyzed though,” Stiles grunted. “Way too soon, Catwoman.”

“If you can’t look past the chair, that’s on you,” She smiled. Stiles chuckled softly. Derek was eternally grateful for the shewolf as her and Stiles started bickering. He supposed Isaac or Jackson could do that just as well, but they might be too into the overprotective mate role to let it happen. Over the next few hours, everyone was in to visit. They tried very hard to remain as normal as possible. By the end of the day, Derek was laying in bed with Stiles practically on top of him. The wolf was practically purring. 

When John finally came in, the conversation was stilted and cautious. Each Stilinski tried hard to dance around their ongoing fight. By the end, the doctor agreed to let one person stay with Stiles overnight but demanded everyone else go home. It was decided that Scott would stay since Derek had been with him all day and the others tended to have more nightmares than the true alpha. Once everyone had left, Stiles turned to his oldest friend and mate.

“Wanna make out?” Stiles asked. Scott growled lowly and captured his mates lips. It wasn’t the first time Stiles had been kissed that day, but it was far fiercer than any others. Stiles pulled a way after a moment though. “I’m not hard. Do I not get hard anymore? Because that would be the worst part of this whole thing.”

“It’s the drugs they’re giving you. Trust me. The doctor decided to pull us aside and tell us about your limitations sexually.”

“How many do I have?”

“Well, you’re not going to be on top anytime soon.”

“With four dominant wolves as mates, was I ever?” Scott chuckled and kissed his mate once more before snuggling closer. “Sleep now.”

The next few weeks were spent in the hospital with Stiles learning how to properly work a regular wheelchair. He’d refused the electric one, saying he knew himself, and that thing would never get charged. Everyone agreed. Theo had been begging for forgiveness the whole time despite Stiles insisting it wasn’t his fault.

Eventually, though, they let Stiles go home with his mates. Stiles was shocked to find the steps to the porch gone and replaced with a long, gentle ramp. As soon as he was inside, he found much of the same. Each incline was smoothed over with a ramp, and the carpeting had been replaced with hardwood floors. The only obstacle left was the stairs which they really couldn’t do anything about.

“One of us will carry you up when you want to go, or we can get an elevator installed,” Isaac whispered. He already had Stiles in his arms, the boy too tired from the trip home to wheel himself.

“And miss the chance to be held up by one of you? Fat chance,” Stiles grinned, leaning up to kiss his mate’s cheek. “Speaking of, I’m about to sleep for like a day? So can you carry me up now?” 

“Not a chance,” Jackson grinned, taking his mate from Isaac. Stiles looked confused before the rest of the pack came spilling out of the kitchen, grinning as they moved the couches to form a giant bed. “You thought they’d miss your first night home?”

“to be honest, I thought you wouldn’t let them in here for a week until I was properly deflowered,” Stiles laughed at Jackson’s affronted look.

“We can hold ourselves back for a night, twerp,” He snickered. Derek was quick to steal there mate and hop on the massive bed, instructing Erica to put on a movie, not at all surprised as she picked out an animated DC film.

“I am Jason Todd. Call me the red hood from now on,” Stiles grinned up at Derek who snorted and shook his head.

“Whatever you say, love,” he grinned down at his mate. The pack fake gagged. With Theo, finally over what happened, just smiled, holding Liam in his arms. As the pack adjusted themselves, all of Stiles mates were close to him, touching him.

“I told you it still worked,” Scott mumbled in his ear, earning a chuckle from his mate. It was as they lied there that Stiles realized how right peter was. He’d never move his legs again. But that didn’t mean things could be just as good as they were. It didn’t mean they couldn’t be better.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm kinda happy with this one. honestly, I have not exactly been "ok" lately, so this is sort of a therapy work for me, but that doesn't mean i'm not open to some constructive criticism. i'm trying to get better at fanfiction writing which is a whole different animal from novel writing, so i'm always open for some feedback!  
> I might actually turn this work into a series 'cause disabled stiles is oddly cathartic to write about


End file.
